food files
Bobby-Q
F
ire up your taste buds because it’s time to talk barbecue. There’s no shortage of the summertime meal staple in the Valley, meaning you can leave the smokin’ to someone else and dig right into savory cookout cuisine from nine grill masters.
BOBBY-Q Bobby-Q (www.bobbyq.net) was founded in 2005 by Bob Sikora, a barbecue aficionado who spent more than 10 years traveling the nation’s backroads to learn cooking techniques and secret recipes from smoke masters across the country. Led by Executive Chef Mark Hittle, Bobby-Q dishes out meat that’s hand-rubbed with a proprietary spice blend, then smoked slowly over Tennessee hickory wood. Don’t-miss dish: Smoked sliced prime beef brisket, $19.50
HOLE-IN-THE-WALL Housed in an original 1940s ranch house, Hole-in-the-Wall at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort (www.squawpeakhilton.com) offers one of the most authentic Southwestern barbecue experiences in Arizona. The cast iron smoker, which also dates back to the 1940s, uses only local mesquite wood – much of it sourced right on the property and in the surrounding area. The in-house team not only develops their own signature dry rubs for every piece of slow-smoked meat, but also crafts original barbecue sauces with sweet, savory and even spirited (yes, as in boozy) ingredients. Don’t-miss dish: Smoked pork ribs, $25.95
Joe’s Real BBQ
Southern Rail
FINGERLICKIN’ GOOD
Liberty Station
The Valley’s best bets for barbecue BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
PHOTO BY JOANIE SIMON
JOE’S REAL BBQ With famously slow-smoked barbecue for nearly 30 years, Joe’s Real BBQ (www. joesrealbbq.com) dry rubs each of its meats by hand and uses Oyler pits, known for using wood only, to get that perfectly smoked effect. Joe’s took it a step further than that, using Arizona-grown pecan wood in the pits, which not only gives a rich flavor to the meat, but is a renewable alternative to other barbecue methods. Don’t-miss dish: BBQ sampler, $12.99
LIBERTY STATION Boasting one of only two custom-made Camelback Smokers in the entire state, which sits prominently on the patio so guests can enjoy the show, Liberty Station (www.libertystationtavern.com) offers a variety of smoked premium cuts SO SCOTTSDALE! |
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| JULY 2017
from Creekstone Farms. Best bets for barbecue include tender and mouthwatering Texas brisket, Carolina pork shoulder, St. Louis spare ribs, jidori chicken, hot links and beef ribs. Don’t-miss dish: The tavern BBQ platter, $42
NAKED BBQ Naked BBQ (www.thenakedbbq.com) prides itself on the art of the rub, smoking meats to tender perfection without drowning them in sauces. By rubbing and smoking the meats and serving them “naked” (without sauce), the barbecue destination allows for guests to dress their food the way they want. Of course, Naked offers everything from a North Carolina vinegar-based sauce to a South Carolina mustard sauce and a dozen other sweet